1904: Henry Ford sets speed record
Henry Ford sets a land-speed record of 91.37 mph on the frozen surface of Michigan’s Lake St. Clair.
1926: Sam ‘n’ Henry debuts on Chicago radio
The two-man comedy series “Sam ‘n’ Henry” debuts on Chicago’s WGN radio station. Two years later, after changing its name to “Amos ‘n’ Andy,” the show became one of the most popular radio programs in American history.
1932: First female elected to the U.S. Senate
Representing Arkansas, Hattie Wyatt Caraway becomes the first woman to be elected as Senator. She was appointed two months earlier to fill in for her late husband, Thaddeus Horatio Caraway.
1943: Siege of Leningrad
Lasting over two years, the Siege of Leningrad is one of the most brutal conflicts of World War II.
1944: Angelo Bertelli wins the Heisman trophy
Angelo Bertelli, first T-formation quarterback, was not able to attend the initial trophy presentation in early December due to his Marine Corps training. The ceremony was rescheduled and Bertelli accepts his Heisman on January 12, 1944 in New York City.
1950: “Hairline Brush” is introduced in Los Angeles
Mr. Ted Spence, engineer of the Los Angeles Brush Manufacturing Corp., demonstrates the new “Hairline Brush” in Los Angeles.
1969: New York Jets win Super Bowl III
Joe Namath and the Jets pull off one of the most memorable upsets in NFL history, beating the Baltimore Colts, 16-9, in Super Bowl III at the Orange Bowl.
1995: Malcolm X’s Daughter Arrested
Qubilah Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X, is arrested for conspiring to kill Louis Farrakhan.
1998: Linda Tripp provides taped conversations to Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's office
Linda Tripp provides Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's office taped conversations between herself and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
1999: McGwire's 70th Home-run ball is sold for $3 million
The baseball is sold at Guernsey's auction house, New York City, USA for $3,054,000 (£1,874,655) including commission, to Todd McFarlane on 12 January 1999.
2010: Massive earthquake strikes Haiti
A magnitude 7 earthquake strikes the Haitian commune of Léogâne, located near the capital city of Port-au-Prince. According to government figures, the death toll ranged from 220,000 to 316,000 and over 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings were destroyed.
